Trump's surprising answer to why he won't wear bulletproof vest despite 3 assassination attempts
Topics: Donald Trump
Phoebe Tonks
Featured Image Credit: Aaron Schwartz/CNP/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Topics: Donald Trump
Donald Trump has responded to concerns over his safety following the third attempt on his life in recent years.
Speaking to members of the press during Thursday April 30’s executive order signing, the President was quizzed on potential heightened security measures that could be implemented to protect him.
This included a reporter asking if there was discussion about him ‘potentially wearing a bullet-proof vest moving forward’, particularly as one had saved the life of a secret service agent shot at close range last weekend.
Acknowledging the value of the vest worn by the agent during the White House Correspondents' Dinner attack, Trump said: “Frankly, the vest did an amazing job because it took a bullet close up. And he didn't even want to go to the hospital. We sent him to the hospital.”
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However, it appeared Trump was less than keen to wear a vest of his own.
He explained: “I don't know if I can handle looking 20 pounds heavier.”
“If you want to gain 20 to 25 pounds, get a West vest,” he continued, in what is believed to be a reference to the Wilson MLB West Vest chest protectors worn by baseball umpires.
In the same session, Trump also went on to describe what getting shot in a bulletproof vest would feel like, as he liked it to the equivalent of ‘getting hit by Mike Tyson.’
Trump’s cavalier attitude to his own safety has come as a surprise to many, with the President having faced attempts on his life on three separate occasions in the past two years.
The most recent attempt took place on Saturday April 25 at the White House Correspondent’s Dinner, in which heavily armed suspect Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, Calif. charged a security checkpoint at the event and shot an officer.
Allen has since been charged with one count of attempt to assassinate the President of the United States, transportation of a firearm and ammunition in interstate commerce with intent to commit a felony, and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence.
Prior to this incident, Trump was targeted during his presidential campaign trail back in July 2024, when Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, opened fire at his rally in Butler, PA.
Trump was seemingly grazed by a bullet at the event, and both Crooks and a spectator were killed in the incident, with two others injured.
A second attempt took place just two months later, when in September 2024 when Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, was arrested after attempting to assassinate Trump at his Florida golf club.
Routh was ultimately sentenced to life in prison in February 2026.
While many would be daunted by three attempts to kill them, Trump appeared to have taken everything in his stride as he admitted on Saturday that he was ‘honored’ to have been targeted by so many people.
“They don't go after the ones that don't do much.”